Warner Bros. is heading into the future with “The Count of Monte Cristo,” snapping up Ian Shorr’s script and setting it up with Kevin McCormick’s Langley Park.
Studio bought the script preemptively Thursday and is fast-tracking the project, with “Monte Cristo” submitted to directors.
John Zaozirny and Bobby Sabelhaus are exec producing.
Pic is described as a futuristic retelling of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo.” The tale, first published in 1844, centers on a young man who’s wrongly sentenced to an island prison and escapes, then transforms himself into the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo and systematically destroys those who manipulated and enslaved him.
“Monte Cristo” has been adapted numerous times, most recently in the 2002 Spyglass film for Disney that was directed by Kevin Reynolds and starred Richard Harris, James Caviezel, Dagmara Dominczyk, Guy Pearce and Luis Guzman.
It’s a reteaming for McCormick and Schorr, who also wrote the thriller “Substitution” with Daniel Barber attached to direct for Alcon Entertainment with McCormick and Steve Crystal producing.
Warner-based McCormick produced the “Arthur” remake and is a producer with Dan Lin on “The Gangster Squad.”
Matt Cherniss is overseeing “Cristo” for Warner Bros.Shorr is repped by UTA, manager Langley Perer of Benderspink and David Krintzman at Morris Yorn Barnes Levin Krintzman Rubenstein & Kohner.
